


You Could Go Swimming In Those Eyes

by niennaerso



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 23:59:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niennaerso/pseuds/niennaerso
Summary: A Sports AU. In which Dan and Phil were rivals, but it wasn't always like that.





	You Could Go Swimming In Those Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShippingFangirl26](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingFangirl26/gifts).



Swimming was their life. You see, science says ‘water is life’, and at some point in their childhoods, they took this fact as a lifestyle. So, since they were kids, they learned how to swim, and took it to the next level. For some years, they went to the same academy and even considered themselves as each other’s best friend.

Their lives went happily like that until one of them was chosen for the national team. Their friendship had survived many up and downs, but the jealousy and competitive nature of both of them made them drift away. Of course, it wasn't because Phil was a better swimmer than Dan, it was because he was old enough to train with the official teams.

After a few years it didn’t matter that much anymore because they were both in same-level teams, one being the national and the other one being a private one. Still, they were strangers who missed each other, though neither of them would admit it. Little did they know, that their teams would bring them together in the least ideal way they could think of..

Phil’s phone woke him up at around 7 am. Sighing, he grabbed it, wishing to strangle whoever was calling him. It soon disappeared when he saw the name on the screen. The man only called him if it was an emergency or something very important.

“Coach?” Phil yawned.

“Philip, good morning. I’m sorry if I woke you up, I know you’re on your free day, but this concerns you too.”

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Chris broke his foot last night” the coach explained.

“What?!”

“Yes, right before the finals.” just what Phil was thinking.

“And now who’s supposed to take his spot in the medley?”

“See, that’s why I called you, Phil.”

“Because...”

“Because I’ve been talking with the coach of one of the best swimmers around here. And I think you know him, or at least knew him.”

“Oh no.” the coach knew what he was doing.

“Oh yes. He’ll be great in our team!” Phil wouldn’t quite agree with that.

“But it will affect the team dynamic. We’re all friends and get along nicely.” He insisted.

“Then you can be his friend again.”

“Not sure if that’d help. The guy hates me.” Phil exaggerated.

“We’ll see. And we’ll see that today. I’ve called a team reunion for today at 11. Please be here.” There was a pause. “Wait, why am I saying please? _I’m_ the coach. _Be here, Philip._ Yeah that was better.”

Phil laughed “Fine, I will be there.”

He usually drives to the pool, but this time he didn’t feel like he had enough concentration to be behind the steering wheel. The walk to the pool was heavy and quicker than expected. In fact, every person in the street could tell how nervous the boy was. He didn’t exactly want his ex friend in his team, or at least not for the reasons he was going to be. The last time they saw each other was over a year ago, in a smaller competition than the one they’d have together. Before it started, Dan smiled at him, and it made Phil think that after it was over they could go back to being the best friends they once were. They were competing against each other, so inevitably one of them would reach a higher score than the other. Phil did. He was in first place, while Dan got second place. Any possibility of getting a friendship back vanished when Phil turned around happily to look at Dan right after it ended, and the look on his face wasn’t nearly as happy as his. Well, who could blame the guy¿ He didn’t won, and nobody’s happy when they lose.

When he got there, most of his teammates were already there, talking to another tall boy with curls on the top of his head. No, they were not cute at all. Not even a minute after, coach Shostakovich came out of his office and invited everyone in. 

He explained them the situation, and Dan’s career with more details for that matter, and mostly everyone was fine with the decision, except for Phil, and surprisingly, Dan. So everyone left except for those two.

“Well then gentlemen, take a seat and tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m sorry, coach, but there’s no way I’m accepting him on my team.” Phil went to the point right away.

“As if I wanted to be on a team with you.” Dan scolded back.

“And why would that be?” The coach asked.

“Seriously? Haven’t you seen his attitude?” Phil grumbled.

“Young men, can you please put your differences aside and just for this time try and work as a team? I promise it’s convenient for both of you.”

“Sir, I sure can, I’m just not sure if mister Philip right here can do the same thing.”

“Excuse me? I am capable of that and more. Just you wait. Coach, everything’s fine, you got your team.”

“Oh thank you, because I’m happy to announce that it was not your decision. You have been chosen because you’re the very best in London, and I’m sure you’ll bring the prize home. Also, the decision was up to me, and it was already taken hours ago.”

Their faces were literal poems, and certainly an entertainment for the coach.

“Go, children. Do whatever you do on your free days.” And like that, they were out of the office. 

Dan started walking towards the exit, while Phil had the awesome idea of spending his free day doing what he did everyday: swimming. It was different, you know. Like when you’re a classical musician and for once you want to relax playing pop songs instead of Bach pieces. Or when you’re a baker and you bake a cake just for you and your family instead of selling it. The curly haired boy noticed the absence of someone behind him, and when he turned around he found the presence inside the water.

“Is that how you usually spend your free days?” Dan’s voice resonated with echo.

“Why do you care?”

“Hey I’m just trying to be friendly, it doesn’t seem to work with you though, should I be rude instead?” 

“Ugh just shut up please. Last time I saw you I was the one trying to be friendly, but you’re such a bad loser that you can’t get over it.” Phil argued.

“What on earth are you talking about? You are a terrible winner too, you know? And yeah I was mad but because you were shoving it on my face. I didn’t need that, thank you very much.”

“So what, I’m not allowed to enjoy my victories anymore?”

“Just as long that smirk of superiority leaves your pretty face.”

The last two words took around five seconds to sink in. Both of them got stuck there, but didn’t comment on it.

“Still don’t know what you’re talking about.” Phil mumbled.

“Look, I’ll just go. I see you don’t want me here.”

Phil didn’t answer and Dan left. The empty spot was soon replaced with another person standing there.

“You should be doing anything else but this, kid.”

“Oh come on, coach, you too?”

“I’m joking, Phil. I know how the pool relaxes you. Been there, done that.”

“Thank goodness.”

“You two should really fix your differences though, I could feel the tension trespassing my office's window.”

Phil didn’t know how to respond to that.

“You used to talk about him a lot years ago. I assumed you had a crush on him or something. I see it now.”

“What?”

“Kid, I think of you as a son, and I’ll tell you this as I would tell my own kids: Being competitive might be a turn on, but it doesn’t help if you want to get together with-“

“I never said that!”

“Sure thing. But you never know.” And then he left Phil alone with the water and his thoughts.

During the next days the tension increased with every training hour. They barely spoke to each other, and they did only when it was absolutely necessary. They also noticed how much they had improved with time and practice. But since the last competition, they don't know who's the best swimmer. This idea grew in both of their minds, and each of them started training out of the official training hours. Dan took the very early hours, before sunrise, and Phil took the very late ones, almost at midnight. And for his delight, only the coach knew that.

Nevertheless, two days before the finals, Dan showed up at the pool at 11 pm. He had tried to talk to the coach to make sure he had permission to go that late at night, but he didn’t answer. And when he arrived at the pool and saw it open and with all lights up, he figured it wouldn’t be too much trouble. He just didn’t know Phil was in there too.

“What the-” Phil exclaimed when he saw the tall boy approaching.

“The fuck you doing here?”

“Same thing as you apparently.”

“Well, I got here earlier. Go away.”

“This is a public place, you can’t make me leave.”

“It’s public until 8 pm. You need a signed permission to be here.” Phil corrected him.

“The guard at the entrance didn’t say anything. I won, Philly.”

Phil sighed. He hadn’t heard that nickname coming from Dan in literal years. The wall of defensiveness and supposed hate he had built against the curly haired boy suddenly broke down, and he gave up. He had to recognize that acting all tough and proud in front of him was tiring in many levels. He wasn’t himself in those moments. And to be honest, he knew that there was a time in his life when he was always himself, and it was when they were friends.

Dan felt something similar, but he kind of gave up not because he was tired of pretending, but because nighttime is a natural fear-inhibitor. He had been afraid for years. Afraid of not being as successful as he always dreamed of. Afraid of not getting Phil’s friendship back. Afraid of never finding someone like Phil. But that night, all of that disappeared. He asked himself what was the point of those worries. He had been afraid of failure, but now he was on the national team. And regarding the other fears, the boy they involved was right in front of him, floating in the water and looking just as vulnerable as himself. There was nothing stopping him from trying again.

“Can I get in there too?”

Phil’s brain took a couple of seconds to register Dan’s words.

“Sure, whatever’s best for the team.”

Dan walked to the locker room to leave his stuff, and to do some warm-ups before getting into the pool.

Apparently, he didn’t warm up enough, because not even after five minutes in the water he felt a cramp on the back of his lower leg. Funnily, in his pain he thought of adding another fear to the list: being a professional swimmer and drowning; charming, and ironic. Of course, that didn’t happen, because he was not the only one in the pool, and this other boy came to the rescue just in time when everything started going black.

Phil pulled him out of the water as soon as he could, which was not very fast knowing how long boys both of them were.

“Dan! Can you hear me?!” Phil sounded worried, of course he was.

Dan coughed some water and opened his eyes. They were met with a pair of familiar baby blues. The same eyes his dreams were often about. He realized he had been staring at them for too long while Phil waited for an answer.

“I’m fine.” He mumbled.

“Fucking hell, Dan, that was scary.” Phil sighed as he collapsed on the floor next to Dan.

“I’m sorry, but thanks.” _‘Wow Dan, that’s a great way to thank the guy who just saved your life’_ he thought, but it was done, words don’t come back to your mouth.

“You’re welcome. We don’t have time to find a replacement now.” He tried to joke, but it sounded harsh instead of funny. Either way, Dan didn’t comment on it.

“I think I’ll just go, I don’t have energy left.” he said, standing up.

“Wait!” Phil exclaimed. “I’ll give you a ride.” he offered, and Dan didn’t decline. _‘Baby steps’_ , both thought.

They headed to Phil’s car in silence. A strangely comfortable silence. It felt like they’d been there before.

“You still live in the same place?”

Dan nodded. That was one of the many things that were still the same, including those weird feelings for his best friend. “You?”

Phil nodded too. Dan wondered if that was ‘one of many things still the same’ like his. He didn’t know that yet, but it was.

The next morning, the coach finally responded to Dan’s texts, excusing himself for having a phone that “barely works”. A total lie. The man saw Dan’s texts and thought he might help the captain of the team by forcing a ‘chance encounter’ with the new boy.

*** 

Two days later, the event’s day came. Teams were called early, as usual, and Dan and Phil were there earlier than what one would consider early. They smiled to each other, like they used to do sometime in the past. And of course, the coach looked at them with satisfaction. There was time before the rival teams showed up, so they submerged themselves into a nostalgic conversation, reminiscing of the past, with undertones of ‘I wish we were talking about the present and not the past.’ This made them lose track of time and when they least expected it, all rival teams had already arrived and the bleachers around the pool were almost full.

The referee called everyone to positions and so the race medley started. Dan went first, having the best backstroke out of everyone. Another teammate went in second, bragging about how good his breaststroke was. Phil went in third, because his expertise on butterfly stroke had to be useful somehow. And lastly, the last teammate did the freestyle. None of the four swimmers could hear anything out of concentration, so it had to be the coach’s job to announce them their victory. Phil’s reaction was to look around for Dan’s eyes. This time, both of them won, and the smile could be shared.

And it could’ve been the adrenaline of winning. Could’ve been just because he felt like it, but after the whole team finished the immediate celebration, Phil went to hug Dan almost instinctively and he didn’t let go of him during the whole awarding process.

People around them dissipated, there was nothing for them to do. Phil’s arm was still around Dan’s waist, and now Dan’s hands were on Phil’s shoulders. One thing led to another and Dan’s smile suddenly was too kisseable to resist..

“Oh.” The boy whispered.

“Was that okay?”

“I was only trying to be your friend again. You just gave me more than I realistically expected.”

“So…”

“Take a wild guess, mate.” Dan responded with the happiest smirk his face had ever made, and then he leaned to leave a little peck on Phil’s cheek.

“Okay then.” Phil whispered, still not believing what had just happened.

“Jesus, you’re bad at this. It’s cute. Anyways, let’s hang out tomorrow. I’ll go to yours okay?”

“Sure, what time though?”

“It’s your flat, you set the rules.”

“Is that why you just invited yourself?”

“Someone had to. You’re too embarrassing at inviting me on a date.”

“Oh shut up, I’m just nervous. But I liked it. It was like when you used to show up at my house whenever you pleased.”

“I know. I liked showing up. And for the record, it wasn’t whenever I pleased. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have left your house. Ever.”

“I know. That would have pleased me.”

“Glad to know you're still as cheesy as always, Lester.” He stared at Dan.

“Glad to know you still appreciate it, Howell.” Dan stared back, he had no choice but to lose himself in those hypnotizing blue eyes.


End file.
